ANTI-GRAFT WAR: Despite alleged sabotage, Senate says it’s led from the frontline

The 8th Senate on Friday, during its second anniversary, praised itself for leading from the frontline on the war against corruption in the country.

This was even as the executive arm of government has at different times accused the National Assembly and the judiciary of sabotaging the fight against corruption.

The Senate became even more perceived by many Nigerians as not in support of the fight against corruption, when it refused to confirm the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC’s) acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

But Senate President Bukola Saraki, in his remarks as the Senate marked its second anniversary on Friday, appreciated the efforts the lawmakers have made in the corruption fight.

He added that the 8th Senate has led with courage and taken up more hot-button- national and legislative issues and successfully dealt with them.

Part of his speech read, “Let me begin by thanking all of you my wonderful colleagues for the exemplary and unflinching support you have given to me and the entire leadership of the Senate thus far. Every one of you deserve to be singled out and acknowledged individually for your remarkable commitment and oneness of spirit. I thank you most especially for the sacrifices and your perseverance that has seen the Senate succeed thus far.

“While acknowledging the great work our predecessors had done before us, let me put on record that this current Senate has made progress on every front and therefore deserve to mark this day as a special day.

“Though we inherited a legacy that created in some minds cynicism and despondency, we were undeterred irrespective of an unending barrage of virulent attacks and unprovoked aggression, the 8th Senate matched on, together erasing records and setting new ones.

“Today, the 8th Senate has passed 96 bills and 72 petitions in just 2years eclipsing the highest ever in the history of the National Assembly, a record held by the 5th Senate after passing about 65 bills and 6 petitions respectively within the same time period.

“The 8th Senate has led with courage and taken up more hot-button- national and legislative issues and successfully dealt with them. We committed ourselves to greater openness and accountability and many doubted our capacity to do as we preach.

Read also: CCT: FG insists Saraki has serious case to answer

“But we have led from the frontline on the war against corruption, having passed several corruption-exposing resolutions that have saved our government billions of naira cumulatively.”

Saraki further thanked the senators for the “great lawmaking environment that is empowering and genuinely fraternal and less divisive”, which he said has enabled the Senate to focus a lot more on the work than on politics “ensuring that our people are the ultimate beneficiaries of our time and energy,” he said.

The Senate president also called on every Nigerian citizen to be patient with the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“This government is sincerely disposed to turning things around but in a much more enduring manner. Let us pray to God to grant our President full recovery and give him the fortitude to continue to pilot the affair of state in the vision he has started with. As for us in the Senate we are firmly and fully committed to his leadership and will continue to do all in our power to support and give him all the encouragement to lead us into a strong united and more virile nation,” he added.

 

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